A Guide to the Texas Plains Trail
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A Guide to the Texas Plains Trail 50th ANNIVERSARY CARAVAN July 29-31, 2019 We’re thrilled you’re able to come along with us Fifty years later, a few on the Texas Plains Trail 50th Anniversary Caravan things have changed. Even to kick off our second half century of heritage tour- the map — which in 1968 ism in the Lone Star State! didn’t have, for instance, Here’s how the original 1968 “Ride the Texas the full Loop 289 in Lub- Plains Trail” map and brochure produced by the bock (1972); the complet- Texas Highway Department described the part of ed Interstate 27 (1992); the state we’ll be seeing: Caprock Canyons State Park (1984); the restored The Texas Plains Trail spans a vast area of Charles Goodnight House the High Plains region of Texas. The tableland (2012); or the Route 66 is called the Llano Estacado, an ancient Spanish National Historic District term generally interpreted to mean “ staked in Amarillo (1994). plains.” Much of the Trail slices through what These changes have residents call the “Golden Spread,” a reference led us to make a few to this immensely rich agricultural, mineral minor departures from the exact 1968 Texas Travel and industrial region. Geographically this is the Trail map. southernmost extension of the Great Plains of The city population figures from 1968 have the United States. changed a lot, with major cities gaining population Once the entire plains were grasslands. and many smaller ones losing some. Our demo- Not a fence, not a single tree or shrub grew on graphic makeup has shifted, and so have our per- the tablelands-—only grass, as trackless as the ceptions of the indigenous and immigrant peoples sea. A branch of the Great Comanche War Trail swept across the expanse, and herds of buffalo who have successively called this region home. wandered at will. Man wiped out the buffalo Wind energy has changed the landscape; dairy and overstocked the range with cattle. Grazed farming has grown more important than beef cattle too closely by cattle confined within fences, raising in some parts of the region; our region’s two the immensely valuable tall native grasses were international airports have been renamed in mem- destroyed, leaving only the less desirable short ory of Texas astronauts lost in shuttle missions. The species. TEXAS Outdoor Musical has undergone numerous Travelers on the High Plains can be sure of dramatic shifts in its presentation over more than one rule: the land will be nearly table-flat except a half century, and we’re fortunate to be among the where it has been disturbed by erosive influenc- first to witness a new iteration this season. es. And therein lies some of the greatest geo- Other things, fortunately, haven’t changed. graphical drama of the plains, because erosion “Texas friendly” continues to be a way of life out has carved spectacular canyon landscapes. here on the Plains and in the Panhandle, between The starting point is the city of Lubbock, neighbors or when greeting newcomers. The cost of major metropolitan area on the Trail. The route living here and visit here is still a comparative bar- description is then presented in a clockwise gain. And a diligent work ethic, a positive outlook, direction. However, the Trail is designed so that and an appreciation for sky and land prevail. it may be started at any point along the way, and That’s what we’re here to experience, and it may be driven in either direction by carefully to exemplify, in the coming three days. As we ask consulting the accompanying map and descrip- traveling mercies from the greater powers of our tive copy. See map legend for information about universe, let us travel safely, learn much, and enjoy special Trail signs and arrows. the journey! A Guide to the Texas Plains Trail • July 2019 • page 2 MONDAY, JULY 29 LUBBOCK START 8:00 a.m. The population of Lubbock was 128,000 in 1968 — and by 2018 it Lubbock Lake Landmark, had doubled to 256,000. Much of Lubbock’s growth is a result of mi- 2401 Landmark Dr. Lubbock gration from surrounding smaller communities. Texas Tech Univer- sity and other institutions of higher learning have attracted students Lubbock city council member who have stayed for jobs in the medical, school, government, energy, Randy Christian; County Judge and retail sectors, as well as a vibrant culture and society. Curtis Parrish on hand. Carl In 1968 Texas Tech’s enrollment was 16,000; today it’s more than C. Williams, retired Brewster 36,000. But when the Lubbock MSA population hit 300,000 in 2010, County sheriff who escorted the culture shifted. Traffic and urban schools effected a cultural shift, Gov. John Connally on the and the population of bedroom communities built around school original 1968 Texas Mountain districts grew exponentially. Wolfforthwith its Frenship School Dis- Trail Caravan, will also be par- trict, 12 miles southwest of Lubbock, has 10,000 students attending ticipating on Monday. Brief talk a dozen schools. Twelve miles due south of Lubbock is the Lubbock by Deborah Bigness or Elieen Cooper School District, in the town of Woodrow. With 6,500 students Johnson. it’s the second fastest growing school district in the State of Texas. Llano Estacado is not only the name of a very good winery— We’ll have a quick bite of break- founded in Lubbock, the birthplace of the Texas plains viticulture fast, a talk by Landmark staff, movement in 1973, but it is also a region in the Southwestern United and a well-wishing sendoff by States that encompasses parts of eastern New Mexico and north- local officials. western Texas, one of the largest mesas, or tablelands, on the North American continent. Its long history is documented at our starting point. AN ANCIENT WATERING HOLE Lubbock Lake National Historic Landmark is a unique archaeo- logical site— the only one in North America that preserves a com- plete record of nearly 12,000 years of human history located in one place, and uncovered by scientists. It is also a natural history preserve containing over four miles of hiking trails through 300 acres of re- stored prairie on the Southern High Plains. Exhibits in the Nash Interpretive Center highlight cultural changes across time and introduce visitors to the scientific process- es used in building this important cultural and geologic narrative. Research at the site has been ongoing for over 80 years and continues every summer with the public treated to guided tours during special events. A Guide to the Texas Plains Trail • July 2019 • page 3 FOLLOW LUBBOCK MAP Lubbock, birthplace of 20th century rockabilly icon Buddy Holly, understands that history is often in the details. The city’s Buddy Holly Drive down Indiana Ave. and Center exhibits many personal items that once belonged to the sing- turn east to pass MOTTU, er-songwriter including his guitars and the glasses he wore during his NRHC, Tech campus; on to fatal 1959 plane crash. Across town in Lubbock’s National Ranching LHUCA district and turn south Heritage Center are thirty-eight restored ranch and pioneer struc- on Ave. J then east on Broad- tures where annual Ranch Days feature living history demonstrations way; on to Canyon Lakes, drive of frontier skills that were once used every day. The Museum of Tex- through Bayer Museum of as Tech University also knows all about details with more than two Agriculture to see cottage and million items in its collection. Dinosaur bones, historic photos, and Underwood car, and on through artifacts provide the curious and inquiring mind with an idea of the Windmill Museum grounds. region’s recent and distant pasts. Don’t spend all your time grounded, however. Look up in the sky and witness over one hundred vintage Approx. 10 miles total windmills at the American Wind Power Center and Museum. Learn how a simple ranch windmill works or get complicated and explore the technology behind today’s giant wind turbines and wind energy production. TheBayer Museum of Agriculture, founded more than four decades ago and expanded in 2012, houses not only farming imple- ments and exhibits, but a wealth of educational information — and the fully restored Underwood Pullman Rail Car, which figured influ- entially in the rise of the inland cotton industry on the South Plains. IN LUBBOCK RAVE ON: Buddy Holly holds a prominent place in the music heri- Travel via MLK Jr. Blvd. to City tage of Lubbock, Texas — and the rock ’n’ roll world. The Buddy Holly Cemetery (2011 E. 31st St, Lub- Center is located in the historic Depot Entertainment District in the bock, TX 79404, Buddy Holly former Fort Worth and Denver South Plains Railway freight depot. grave) Permanent exhibits, from items crafted by a young Buddy Holley to artifacts from his musical career, from the famous eyeglasses to be- Approx. 2 miles longings retrieved from the tragic Feb. 3, 1959, airplane crash are on display amid interactive features and Holly’s music. Buddy Holly — born Holley — is buried in the Lubbock City Cemetery, where fans come to pay their respects especially on Febru- ary 3, “the day the music died.” TO RANSOM CANYON Travel out to Southwest Drive BUFFALO SPRINGS/RANSOM CANYON and FM 835 Buffalo Springs Lake is a natural, spring-fed oasis nestled in beauti- Approx. 18 miles ful Yellow House Canyon on one of the forks of the Brazos River. Here, where nomadic Indians once camped, thousands of families escape yearly to quench their thirst for fun in the sun. Camping is available at the lake’s public recreation area.